Florida Farm Bureau Welcomes New Assistant Director September 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter  Raulie Raulerson has been named the new Assistant Director of Local Government and Community Affairs. Raulerson joins the team with experience as the Environmental Administrator for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Agricultural Water Policy. Raulerson also has experience with [...]

Grassroots Members Participate in Annual Policy Development September 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter Florida Farm Bureau’s grassroots policy development is in full swing as members from across the state gathered during August to participate in the organization’s commodity and issue based advisory committee fall meetings. These committees meet twice annually to review current Farm Bureau policy and [...]

Revised Ag Water Rule Finalized by the FDA September 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a final rule that revises pre-harvest agricultural water provisions in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. The rule replaces the previous microbial quality criteria and testing requirements with systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessments. The Florida [...]

Tied to Ag: Bobby Floyd, Hardee County September 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter Sixth generation Floridian Bobby Floyd grew up on his family’s cow/calf operation in Zolfo Springs. Throughout his life he has helped run cattle on the farm and has played an active role in the farm’s day-to-day operation. After graduating from Hardee High School, Floyd [...]

Tied to Ag: Jared Freeman, Alachua County August 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter Jared Freeman’s passion for agriculture and love for animals sparked at an early age. He spent countless hours in the pasture with his grandfather growing up, and that time together was pivotal in Freeman’s path in life. He was an active member of 4-H [...]

USDA Recommended Decision on Federal Milk Marketing Order August 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter On July 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced their recommended decision to amend the 11 Federal Milk Marketing Orders across the U.S.  Included in the proposed changes are some top priorities for Florida Farm Bureau, such as reverting to the ‘Higher-of’ [...]

USDA Announces APHIS Final Rule on Electronic ID in Cattle August 2024 FloridAgriculture  eNewsletter As the agriculture industry becomes more advanced and complex, new challenges arise.  For the livestock sector, animal disease traceability has received greater attention over the last several decades as domestic and international movement of live cattle and fresh beef has increased.  [...]

New Heat Regulation to Protect Outdoor Workers August 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter On July 2, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a proposed rule which they believe will help protect workers from extreme heat. If the rule is finalized, the agency estimates it could help protect more than 36 million workers in outdoor and [...]